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22^nd November 2012

54 senior Sea Cadets attended the 6th annual Cadet Mess Dinner held at the Walton and Frinton Yacht Club.  The cadets were welcomed to the yacht club by Padre Don Smith and Commanding Officer Lieutenant Gary Dodd before receiving a pre-dinner sparkling soft drink and making their way to the bar area to socialise with staff and fellow cadets.  The yacht club bar has never been so packed!  Just before 1930, Cadet Luke Norwood piped the dinner call and Cadet Mess President Petty Officer Cadet Casey Brown announced dinner is served.  Once the cadets had taken their positions in the dinning hall, the senior cadets on the top table and Guest of Honour Chairman of Essex County Council Councilor Kay Twitchen OBE were applauded as they made their way through to their table.  

With a loud bang of the gavel, Cadet Mess President welcomed the cadets to the dinner and asked to pray silence for Marine Cadet 2nd Class Lawrence O’Connell to say grace.

Following the desert, a surprise birthday cake was brought out to celebrate twins Sophie and Eleanor Newland, Charlie Rainbird and Lawrence O’Connell birthdays.  The cadets made their way out in front next to the top table to blow out the candles before everyone sang happy birthday!

Just before the speeches the cadets glasses were recharged with watered down wine ready for the Loyal Toast.

A naval mess dinner would not be the same without speeches, Petty Officer Cadet Beth Townsend was the first to oblige with an excellent account of her time as a cadet and her fun time and achievements.  This was closely followed by Petty Officer Cadet Will Andrews who gave the younger cadets a full insight into his international exchange to Bermuda and his leadership courses at Britannia Naval College and Frimley Park.  As Will’s speech came to a close he thanked the staff for all the support given to him and the cadets.

Chairman Twitchen finished of the speeches with the announcement that Walton Sea Cadets had been successful with the Essex County Council’s Community Initiative Fund awarding £12,500 for a new shower block and new galley which was well received by the cadets and staff.  Chairman Twitchen also mentioned how impressed she had been with the cadets earlier in the year when she attended the Canada Trophy Presentation Evening. The cadets marching to music down the stairs past the guests and VIP’s stayed with in her memory as a high-light of that event.

As the evening was brought to a close, Able Cadet Charlie Rainbird presented Chairman Twitchen with a bouquet of flowers.  Cadet mess president Petty Officer Cadet Casey Brown thanked Chairman Twitchen for attending and hoped that she had enjoyed the evening.  

A big thank you must go to Walton & Frinton Yacht Club without their support this wonderful evening would not have been possible.

28^th November 2012

Nineteen very excited Junior Cadets arrived at ArtIShack based in Frinton on Sea.  The owner Martin explained the paints, brushes and how not to mix the chalk based paints with water.  Each Junior filled table choose an pottery item to paint, penguins, dogs, ponies and a geko were chosen to be transformed.  I wonder how many parents/grandparents will be suprised at Christmas!!!?

For the next two hours the concentration on the faces of the cadets was there for all to see.  The attention to detail and colour co-ordination amazed everyone.  Martin was on hand to mop up any disasters and at the end of the evening complete the fine details such as lining eyes, toes and the collars on the dogs.  The painted pottery was left at the shop ready for placing in the kiln.  The promise of a prize for the best painted item was to be picked by the girls in the shop and the winner would receive a £10 token to use for another painting visit.

PO Monk collected the pottery items and a display of the works of art took place at the unit on 28th November, the Junior Parade Night.  Everyone was amazed how wonderful the pottery had turned out.  The winner of the voucher being JC Aimiee Wang.

11^th November 2012

The day started early with the first cadets arriving at the Unit Headquarters just after 9 O’Clock.  But it was not long before the maindeck was heaving with cadets carrying out the final checks to their uniforms.  The sound of, “ Sir, I have lost my lanyard or can you re-tie my cap tally or where do I put my poppy” was a said more than once!  The senior girls along with the Clothing Stores Officer Mrs Richards took over the CO’s Office to sort out the younger girls hair with the smell of hair spray wafting down the gangway. 

With the cadets now presentable, it was time for the Training Ship ILLUSTRIOUS to form up outside Walton Railway Station to march down past the Pier to Millennium car park to join the rest of the parade.  5 senior cadets marched separately down to the Remembrance Gardens to mark the four corners of the cenotaph.  The rest of the Ship’s Company were formed into 4 pontoons, 2 x Sea Cadets, Royal Marines Cadets and Junior Sea Cadets with a total of 71 cadets on parade.  

Sub Lieutenant Jack Parsons took over the reins as the Parade Commander and spot on 10.30 gave the order for the parade to move off.  With a bang of a drum and a squeeze of a bagpipe the band led the way out of the car park and into the High Street.  With spectators lining the pavements and leaning out of the upper shop windows, the cadets held their heads high as proud parents took their photographs.

As the parade marched past Walton All Saints Church the massed crowds greeted the parade on arrival at the Remembrance Gardens.  With the warmth of the morning sun the cadets waited for the service to begin.  Following an introduction by Reverend Tim Fetcher the names of the fallen were read out by Marine Cadet Jamie Ampleford and Able Cadet Hazel Webb.  Bugler Geoff Battersby played the last post before the sound of the first maroon to mark the start of the 2 minute silents.  Cadet Kurtis Swarbrick joined Lieutenant Gary Dodd to lay the wreath.  Junior Sea Cadets Bryony Diss, Owen Hamblion, Bethany Elliott, Matthew Home-Gifford, Jasmine Von-Kanael, Ellie Horlock, Eve Dupuy and Ben Palfrey laid crosses on the unmarked graves to the rear cemetery.  The service was brought to a close with the national anthem before the parade reformed up Church Road ready to give an ‘eyes left’ to salute the VIP’s as the parade marched back to the Millennium car park.  

The feedback from the local community is that the cadets are a credit to the Sea Cadet Corps and the Town! 

"When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say, For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today"

Marine Cadet 1st Class Scott Fisher was on parade with the Royal Marines Association as part of the Clacton on Sea Parade.

31^st October 2012

Some strange things are happening down at Walton on the Naze.......  As dusk arrives and the moon shines bright, some spooky antics are taking place at Walton Sea Cadets.  With a flash of a spell the Juniors Cadets were transformed into some little monsters......  I am sure their parents would say you don't need Halloween to do that!!!

The evening activites included spooky Colours routine, apple bobbing and biscuit and cake decorating, dressing the best 'mummy' - no loo roll was harmed during this activity!

And the finale was the staff telling a scary tale before sending the little chercbs home to their mum's and dad's...  Ha ha ha!

21^st October 2012

207 years to the day - Admiral Lord Nelson lead his British fleet to victory over the Spanish and French combined navies.  

Today - 22 Cadets from Walton on the Naze travelled to London to take part in the National Sea Cadet celebrations. For over 100 years the Sea Cadets have marked this anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar with a parade on Trafalgar Square London.

On the Friday before the parade, 12 Cadets were granted leave from school to attend HMS Excellent in Portsmouth to prepare for the parade.  Domonic Jacobs, Sarah Hawes and Penny Marsden formed part of the 48 cadet Armed Guard which this year was made up from London and Eastern Area Sea Cadets.  The Wreath Bearers were Charlie Rainbird, Rhea Spencer, Ellie Spencer, Sam Ranson, Daniel Rothery and Cadets Harry Triffitt, Victoria Young, Lewis Long, Kurtis Swarbrick.

On Sunday morning, ‘call of hands’ was piped at 0530 to have breakfast before boarding the coaches and minibus to travel to Horse Guards Parade to form up into their divisions ready to march the short distance to Trafalgar Square.

Commanding Officer Lieutenant Gary Dodd was invited to be an Escort Officer for Commodore Barry Bryant Royal Navy, Director General to the Seafarers UK to inspect the Wreath Bearers on the Trafalgar Square.

The inspecting Officer for the Parade was Rear Admiral Chris Hockley Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland and Reserves (FOSNNI).

At the close of the Parade, the Sea Cadet National Band, the Guard and Divisions marched passed Rear Admiral Hockley before making their way down the Mall toward Buckingham Palace and arriving at Wellington Barracks.  

On arrival at the Wellington Barracks Rear Admiral Hockey congratulated all the Cadets for a job well done and in true spirit of Lord Nelson!

After the ceremonial part of day was completed the VIP’s and guests were invited to a buffet reception at Wellington Barracks.  Cadets Russell Eldon, Hazel Webb, Michaela Lomas, Laura Stowe, Jamie Ampleford, Lawrence O’Connell, Sophie Newland, Eleanor Newland and Luke Norwood formed a Carpet Guard and performed stewarding duties.

Following an introduced by Captain Mark Windsor, Chief Petty Officer Ian Richards BEM (pictured) was presented the Sea Cadet Medal for outstanding service to the Sea Cadet Corps by Rear Admiral Hockley. 

The Cadets arrived home at 1800, a long day but full of memories!

The Staff made their was to the Victory Public House in Walton for a dinner to the mortal memory of Admiral Lord Nelson.  Plenty of Nelson’s blood and sea shanties.......!